Phenylpiracetam Review: Mechanism of Action, Benefits, Useful Tips and FAQs

Phenylpiracetam (Phenotropil) is a synthetic nootropic derived from piracetam by adding a phenyl group to the molecule to make it more lipophilic, helping it cross the blood–brain barrier more efficiently. 

It was originally developed in Russia and has been clinically approved there to support cognitive function, memory, attention, and resistance to stress and fatigue in certain neurological conditions.

In this review, we bring together data from official prescribing information and peer-reviewed clinical studies on phenylpiracetam to provide an evidence-based overview of its properties, potential benefits, risks, and regulatory status.

Phenylpiracetam is a synthetic nootropic drug from the racetam class, known internationally as fonturacetam and carphedon, and marketed in Russia under names such as Nanotropil® novo and Phenotropil®.

Structurally, it is a 4-phenyl derivative of piracetam and bears the name 2-(2-Oxo-4-phenyl-1-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide. This modification increases lipophilicity, brain penetration and overall pharmacological potency compared with piracetam.  

The drug is thought to have almost 100% oral bioavailability, rapidly crosses the blood–brain barrier, and is eliminated unchanged with a half-life of 3–5 hours. According to the official package insert, phenylpiracetam: 

Reviews of preclinical and clinical trials also suggest that it has nootropic, anxiolytic, antiasthenic (anti-fatigue), antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant effects.

Pharmacologically, phenylpiracetam consists of a racemic mixture of R- and S-enantiomers. 

Phenylpiracetam has been clinically used in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe for conditions involving impaired circulation to the brain, memory and attention problems, depression, apathy, and post-stroke deficits.

Key reported benefits from clinical trials include:

Overall, the evidence suggests a mix of pro-cognitive, anti-fatigue and neuroprotective effects. In order to mediate these potential benefits, phenylpiracetam combines classic racetam-like nootropic effects with stimulant properties:

The official package inserts for Phenotropil® (phenylpiracetam, aka fonturacetam) set out clear, prescription-only indications. According to these instructions for medical use, phenylpiracetam may be prescribed for:

Clinical studies in patients with organic brain lesions and post-stroke consequences broadly align with these labelled uses, reporting improvements in cognition, daily functioning and asthenic symptoms when phenylpiracetam is added to standard therapy.

Phenylpiracetam can increase mental performance, which is why it has gained significant interest amongst students for increasing their mental abilities, particularly before exams. 

The dosage of Phenylpiracetam pills recommended for this purpose by some neurologists such as Dr Alexander Galushchak is 100-200mg (2 pills) once a day in the morning, immediately after food. 

This may help to optimize focus and productivity in the first half of the day and cope with the information load without extra excitation. 

Taking it later in the day may impair sleep and is not recommended. The recommended treatment duration is 3-7 days prior to exams, as some tolerance may start developing after. 

Phenylpiracetam has a stimulant and adaptogenic profile which has been described in small clinical trials in asthenic and post-trauma patients, where it improved endurance and reduced fatigue.

It also enhances motor responses and physical work capacity in experimental models. 

Because of these psychostimulating and possible ergogenic properties, phenylpiracetam is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as a prohibited stimulant in-competition, and its use by athletes is banned regardless of formulation or route of administration.

Phenylpiracetam (fonturacetam) is on the WADA Prohibited List as a non-specified stimulant (class S6.a) and is banned in-competition. 

The urinary detection window can extend significantly beyond the clinical half-life of 3-5 hours, so athletes should assume that any dosing close to competition may lead to a positive test.

In Russian clinical practice, phenylpiracetam has been used as part of comprehensive therapy for chronic alcoholism to help reduce asthenia, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment during withdrawal and recovery. 

It should not be used to enable drinking or to mask intoxication.

Several lines of evidence suggest that phenylpiracetam has modest anorexigenic effects, which can help reduce appetite and promote weight loss in cases of obesity due to chronic energy surplus.

In preclinical work, the S-enantiomer (S-phenylpiracetam) significantly reduced body-weight gain, fat mass, plasma glucose and leptin in obese Zucker rats and Western-diet–fed mice without increasing locomotor activity, suggesting a primarily metabolic rather than purely stimulant mechanism.

In clinical use for alimentary-constitutional obesity, phenylpiracetam has shown a modest appetite-suppressing effect. When combined with dietary changes and increased activity, this may support some degree of weight reduction, but it is not a standalone weight-loss solution. 

Phenylpiracetam was developed in 1983 at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in the Soviet Union by a team led by psychopharmacologist Dr. Valentina Akhapkina, originally as a “space nootropic” for cosmonauts facing chronic stress and extreme conditions.

The goal was to create a drug that could enhance physical and mental performance without excessive strain on the organism. 

The compound, later marketed as Phenotropil, was studied mainly in patients with organic brain lesions and cerebrovascular disease, including post-stroke encephalopathy, traumatic brain injury, postoperative glioma patients, chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency and multiple sclerosis.

Beyond these clinical indications, Phenotropil has been used off-label by healthy individuals seeking better attention, concentration, and resistance to fatigue, including students and athletes. 

The original Russian brand Phenotropil was discontinued in 2017 after conflicts between inventor V. Akhapkina and Valenta, and phenylpiracetam today is mainly encountered in generic prescription products.

The patent for Phenotropil allows the creation of generic drugs based on the same active substance phenylpiracetam (fonturacetam). Nanotropil Novo is a generic drug marketed since 2018 by the pharmaceutical company Valenta Pharm. Another example is Entrop from the Latvian company Olainfarm that also produces well-known nootropics such as Mildronate, Phenibut, and Adaptol.

Although Nanotropil Novo uses the same active substance (fonturacetam) and is produced by the same manufacturer, its excipient composition is slightly modified. 

It differs from the usual fonturacetam in auxiliary substances, namely the addition of 4-phenylpyrrolidone-2 in the amount of 0.3% to 1%. Therefore, it is often marketed as a reformulated version rather than a simple generic.

The additive is supposed to provide an increased stability compared to Phenotropil, an increased dissolution rate, and decreased hygroscopicity. In reality Nanotropil is made by the same company using the same equipment as the original Phenotropil. 

Presumably, there should be no differences in bioavailability, degree of purification, technology, and manufacturing conditions. But according to some anecdotal reviews, Phenotropil was more potent compared to the generic Nanotropil Novo.

In human studies, phenylpiracetam has been used in doses of 100–300 mg/day for several weeks to months in patients with cerebrovascular disease, asthenic syndromes, epilepsy and other CNS disorders, with relatively few serious adverse events reported. The official package insert also states:

Because phenylpiracetam has stimulating properties and can interfere with sleep, manufacturers advise that it should not be taken later than mid-afternoon (after ~15:00).

Self-experimentation with higher doses or prolonged regimens beyond those used in clinical practice is not recommended, especially without medical oversight. 

Pharmacokinetic data from the Nanotropil® novo leaflet and from patent literature indicate that phenylpiracetam:

Clinically, a subjective onset of action is usually reported within 20–60 minutes after ingestion, which is consistent with these pharmacokinetic parameters.

In a Russian study cited in reviews of phenylpiracetam, a course of Phenotropil in 57 men working under extreme, stressful conditions was associated with reductions in asthenic and depressive symptoms, with the first clear clinical improvements noted within the first days of therapy and, in extreme conditions, several hours after a single dose.

Human pharmacokinetic data suggest that phenylpiracetam has:

Given this half-life, pharmacological activity should persist for several hours after a single dose, and many users report that pro-cognitive and anti-fatigue effects taken in the morning are noticeable through much of the working day. However, this can vary substantially between individuals, and formal, high-quality PK/PD studies in humans are still limited.

According to the leaflet, drug dependence, tolerance and withdrawal syndrome do not develop with course use at therapeutic doses.

At the same time, many anecdotal reports from online communities describe a rapid attenuation of the “stimulant” or “motivational” rush when phenylpiracetam is taken daily for longer than a few days, while more subtle pro-cognitive effects may persist over a longer period. 

These observations are not based on controlled studies and should be interpreted cautiously, but they are consistent with the general principle that dopaminergic stimulation can lead to subjective “blunting” with repeated exposure.

From an evidence-based perspective, it is reasonable to say:

Official instructions set 750 mg/day as the upper permissible daily dose for fonturacetam, divided into multiple administrations. 

Higher “megadose” regimens are described only anecdotally, and there is no clinical evidence to support improved benefit at these levels. The safety of such dosing has not been systematically studied.

Given the stimulant and dopaminergic properties of R-phenylpiracetam, high doses may carry a greater risk of adverse neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular effects.

In experimental models, phenylpiracetam reduces neuroleptic-induced catalepsy and attenuates the hypnotic effects of ethanol and barbiturates, suggesting a potential antagonism with sedative drugs.

However, these findings are preclinical and should not be interpreted as a potential to “neutralize” alcohol, opioids or sedatives in real-world use.

Phenylpiracetam may increase the effects of CNS stimulants and other nootropics. Practical implications of this include:

In clinical practice phenylpiracetam has generally been described as well tolerated, with a relatively wide therapeutic index. 

According to the official Phenotropil package insert, preclinical toxicology studies report low acute toxicity, with a lethal dose in animal experiments of about 800 mg/kg, and no evidence of teratogenic, mutagenic, carcinogenic or embryotoxic effects at therapeutic-equivalent doses.

Importantly, the Phenotropil leaflet explicitly does not recommend its use in children under 18 years, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding, due to a lack of safety data. 

The side-effect profile reported in clinical studies typically includes mild, usually reversible, CNS and autonomic symptoms:

Clinical trials in patients with epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease and asthenic syndromes generally describe a good tolerability profile, with adverse events mostly limited to sleep disturbance, mild anxiety, irritability or short-lived somatic symptoms; serious events are uncommon.

Potential contraindications may include severe hypertension, marked atherosclerosis, acute psychotic states with agitation and a history of panic attacks. 

In most cases, side effects subside when the dose is reduced or the course is interrupted. If significant cardiovascular or psychiatric symptoms occur, the drug should be discontinued immediately.

Anecdotal reports frequently mention headache when phenylpiracetam is taken at higher doses, without adequate sleep, or in combination with multiple other stimulants.

However, clinical reports mention reductions in headache severity in patients with post-traumatic encephalopathy and other forms of chronic brain injury treated with Phenylpiracetam.

Phenylpiracetam is intended to improve attention, psychomotor speed and fatigue resistance, which could theoretically support complex tasks such as driving.

However, in people with marked psycho-emotional exhaustion and chronic sleep deprivation, the first dose can paradoxically provoke a strong need for sleep during the first day. 

If there is drowsiness, agitation, blurred vision, palpitations or anxiety, patients should not drive. 

Thus, if patients are unsure of the effects of phenylpiracetam, it's important that they do not drive, operate heavy machinery or perform high-risk tasks immediately after the first doses. 

Outside formal clinical settings, a large number of anecdotal reports – for example, on forums and community platforms – describe phenylpiracetam as:

For example, there are several reddit users who describe their Phenylpiracetam experiences with various doses, such as an individual taking doses from 100mg up to 600mg. 

In another review a person has shared an experience of Phenylpiracetam to prevent dopamine downregulation. 

Some users also share experiences with stacks such as Semax & Phenylpiracetam. Phenylpiracetam against social anxiety is also discussed extensively on Reddit. 

Phenylpiracetam can be legally obtained in some of the post-CIS countries over the counter. However, if you do not have access to Phenylpiracetam in stores, you can purchase it online. 

Phenylpiracetam is not approved by the FDA for medical purposes. Thus, it cannot be prescribed as a pharmaceutical in the United States. But since Phenylpiracetam is an uncontrolled and unscheduled substance, it means that it can be bought without a prescription for research purposes online.

In relatively healthy individuals, the main reported effects of phenylpiracetam are increased drive, resistance to fatigue, and greater readiness to engage in mentally demanding tasks. 

In other words, it may help individuals feel more motivated to work, study, or create by reducing subjective effort and boosting mental energy.

However, phenylpiracetam does not replace consistent habits, sleep, learning, or training. Like other nootropics, it is not a “magic pill” that can transform cognition on its own. Instead, it should be seen as a pharmacological support under medical guidance.